Moving-picture machine.



C. H. WEISS a P. A. MUAUVIB.

MOVING PICTURE MAUHINE.

ArrLxofTIox 111.211 111125.1911.

1,092,549. Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

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UNITED OFFICE. Y

CLARENCE i1.IV Wnrsn AND FRANK a. iacauvin, orwAncHsALn, PENNSYLVANIA;

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MovING-iie'runs aiacirINE. Y f

Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

Appucaiion aied'iaay 25, isii." serial No. 629,435.

To aZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, CLARENCE H. 'Wnisn und FRANK A. MoAUvm, citizens of the United States, residing at Archbald, in the county of Lackawanna, State of Penns li'ania, have invented certain new and use ul Improvements in Moving-Picture Machines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to'which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates tol new and useful improvements in movin picture machines, and more especially to tie method of handling the film, and the object of our invention is to do away with the rewinding of the film after each showing thereof before it can again be shown, as is now the practice. Y'

A further object of our invention is to provide a' means by which a film when wound in the customary manner after having been passed through the machine may be unwound from the center of the reel. By this means tho film may again be displayed with the ictures in correct order without the necessity of first rewinding the reel.

With these and other objects in View, our invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the drawings w lich show a' irefcircd embodiment of our 'device und i ieny specifically iointcd out in the claims which aro attache( to and form a part of this application.`

In the accompanyingdrawings, Fi ure 1 is a top plan view of the reel casing rom which the film is fed to the'machine, the outer cover thereof being swung back to better show the same. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the liuc 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the construction of the reel from which the film is unwound.

Referring more specifically to the draw'- ings, in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding partsthi'oughout, 1 represents in general the casing of the reel from which the film is unwound as it passes to the machine. The casing as shown is preferably constructed of sheet..metal, circular in shape, and provided with a hinged 'per cover 2 the .specific construction of which will be hereinafter described. Secured to thecentral portion of the bottom of this cas- .ing isa downwardly extending member 3,

preferably cast in a single piece and provided with a cylindrical spherical bore 4 the upper end of which registers with an aperture formed in the bottom of the casing, while the lower endfterminates in a conical point-5. As a support for this casing we provide a plate 6 'adapted to be secured to the. frame of the machine by set screws 7 which-engage in slots 8 formed in the plate, whereby the plate is adapted to be adjusted longitudinally while at the same time prevented from vertical movement. Secured to this plate by a set screw 9 is an L-shaped plate 10, which by means of its slot 11 is adapted to be adjusted vertically with respect to the plate 6, and secured to the horil'/:ontal portion of the plate 1'0 and adjustable thereon is a plate 12 the free end ofwhich -terminates in a collar 13 through which thc means of the various adjustments above described, it may be moved to any desired position thereon.

The reel from which the film is unwound. and which is shown in position in Fim 2 of the drawings, consists of a base meniber 15 circular in shape, somewhat less in diameter btli'an the'internal'diametenof the casing in which it is supported and provided at its peripheral edge with an upwardly extending annular flange 16. A spindle 17 the uportion of which is threaded as shown at 1 is threaded into an a erture formed in the central portion of the ase 15 and the lower portion of this spindle is adapted to be. seated in the bore 4 of the member 3, whereby the reel is rotatably mounted in the casing and spaced therefrom. Surroundingr the upper portion of the spindle is a spool `19 which is secured in place by means of the nut 2O which is threaded upon the spindle and seated in the recess formed in the upper end of the spool, the spindleI being so proportioned as to terminate flush with the upper fac-eef the'lspooi, the-reason lfor which vper end ofthe. spool` is provided ywith an lannular flange 2l the-peripheral' edge of" fwhich is beveled"asifat- 22for"n.pi'u-pose'k which willbe'ihereinafter explained' Extending@inwardly from aie- Siaef uw, 23 open at upon the'covcr2 andvto cover the auxiliary' casing and a portion of the main-casino. A shaft 25 has itsends secured in'y the s'idjes of the auxiliary .casing 'and rotatably mounted thereon is a roller 26.-r vJl. second roller 27 is mounted upon' a secondshaft 28, the'ends of which engagewith the diagonally extending slotsl 29 formed in the w'alls of the auxiliary casing in such a'manner that the' roller 2T normally rests againstthe roller 2G'and if moved out of Aposition Awill immediately fall back into engagcmentby force of gravity.

Journaled m suitablefbearings 30 carried by the upper face of the main cover 2 is a shaft 31 upon which is rotatably mounted a tapered roller 32. A cylindrical roller 33 is rotatably mountedupon a shaft 34 which is journaled in suitable .bearings 35 carried by the cover 2 ad'acent the hinge thereof. As shown all of tiese rollers 2G, 27, 32 and 33 are in alinement with each other and are adapted to support and guide the film on its way to the machine, as will be hereinafter described.

Formed in the cover 2 and adjacent the roller 82 is an aperture 36, substantially rectangular in shape and extending to a point adjacent the. central portion of the cover, from which it is extended along one side as shown at 37 to form a semi-circular tongue member 38 positioned directly above the spool 1f) when the cover is closed, this tongue serving to properly guide the film as it leaves the reel on its way to the rollers, in a manner which will be fully described in the operation of the device.

In machines of the ordinary construction it would now be necessary to rewind the film before again using the same in order to display the pictures in correct order. lVith our device however this is not necessar as the previously wound film is removed rom the winding reel and placed upon the spool 19 of the reel from which the film is to be unwound.I \Vhen' in this position thefinner end otthe film,l` or thatat the center of:l the reel is pulled out or drawn upward through the aperture 37 in the top of the casing, and as the film is thus drawn off of the spool it bears against the tapered or cone like flange 21. Tlustapered flange .extends preferably approximately one-third the length of the spool so that the film basan opportunity to- `.turc machines that the life of the film depends'on the length of time it can be plainly displayed. Consequently it is desired to avoid.-asht'ar as possible bringing the film 1- into 'contact with parts of the machine which would be liable to blur or destroy the pictures. For'this reason we form the bevel on thecone or spool in the manner described so that but very little surface may be brought int-o Contact with the film. lVith our ma.- chine every part which is contacted with by the film moves with such film, so that the -friction or wearing of the parts against the film is greatly reduced, and consequently the life of the latter lengthened.

The tongue 3S, it will be noted, lies or extends directly above the bevel or cone flange of the spool and acts asa guide for the film vas it leaves the casingor magazine, in the sense that this tongue prevents the center of the film from running out spirally as it would do were the tongue not present. As the film is drawn ofi' from the cone-like flange of the spool and beneath the tongue 3S it is led over the rollers 32 and 33 and downwardly between the rollers 2G and 27 and thus to the machine in the customary manner.

As will be readily understood the tapered roller 32 serves to counter-act the te`ndeney toward lateral movement upon the part of the film caused by the twisting of the same as it leaves tlie'reel. iVhcn the film has been adjusted as above described, the auxiliary cover 23 is closed upon the reel casing, occupying the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, thus efl'ectually protecting the reel as it is drawn from the casing.

Although we have illustrated and described a specific form of reel construction for carrying out the purpose it will be understood that we in no way limit ourselves to the specific structure disclosed, but retain the right to accomplish our object by means of any suitable form of reel.

1. The combination with a casing, of a reel rotatably mounted therein and ada ted to receive a film, said reel comprising a )ase having a flange extending therefrom, a spool carried by the base and provided with a beveled flange, a cover for the casing having an opening therein for the passage of the film, n supporting and guide roller journaled in the cover.

2. The combination with a casing, of a rotatable film receiving reel mounted therein, a spool disposed centrally of said reel and provided at its upper end with a beveled flange, ntonguo'formed in the cov'er of the I In testimony whereof, we nfhx our signucasing abovethefspool 4and having a. slot tures, in presence of two witnesses. formed adjacent thereto, a' tapered'roller CLARENCE H. WEISE. journnled atl said slotland over which the FRANK A. MCAUVIE.

5 fhn pnes from the spool, and guide rollers Witnesses:

for guidino the flm when it leaves the M. J. REEDY, tnpered rol er. HENRY C. LORENZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for lve cents each, by addrelsing the Commissioner ot Patents, Washington, D. C. 

